Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Brian Oram, PG on January 18, 2011 at 9:11pm

The only source of free water testing that I am aware - would be the testing that is done by the natural gas company.  There is a group trying to raise money for testing - http://www.shaletest.org

But that program is not up and running - I think they are fund raising.

 

To be honest - a very basic water test is better than none.  We have some recommendations on water testing on the Wilkes University Website.

http://wilkes.edu/pages/4197.asp

 

Free Information Booklet at http://www.wilkes.edu/water

 

 

Permalink Reply by William Ladd on January 19, 2011 at 2:06am

Call the Tioga county Agent. He should be able to help you.

Bill L.

aka Bummy

Permalink Reply by george morris on January 19, 2011 at 3:59am

Robin if you are looking for a certified test of your water I am afraid you will have to pay for it . We got a testing agency in williamsport to do ours. There are many options to choose from. Good luck! G

Permalink Reply by Sam Douglass on January 25, 2011 at 5:22am

Think about why you want a water test - and then decide if "free" is your first criterion.

 

Maybe you want the test done by the most qualified tester - who is independent and has your interests in mind because you are paying him or her.  Maybe you would like to have the tests done by someone who can go as far as testifying in court as to the location of testing sites, the preservation of samples and in details about the potability and  quantity of water - should that become necessary.  

 

The drillers are requited by law to have certain testing done before they drill.  They are likely to use qualified people.  They will want to be able to prove they did no damage to your water [or at least identify the damage caused by them, if any].   Is that enough?  Maybe.  But those testers will not be working for the landowner.  They will be working under the direction of the drillers.

Hopefully, you have a mother or brother in the water testing business who will do quality testing free.  Usually you get what you pay for.

 

Note that frequently people find out that the water they are drinking is not the very best - even before the drilling begins.  The nasty bugs and heavy metals etc. may already be there.  Most people have not bothered to check the current state of their water.  And don't be surprised if you find natural gas is already leaking into your water system from upper layers of the earth before the drilling.  If you can light gas at your facet, it is extremely unlikely [if not impossible] that it comes any Marcellus fracking a mile below.

Permalink Reply by Ann Ticopa on January 26, 2011 at 4:47am

What pre-drilling private water well testing are the drillers "required by law" to do in PA, statewide?  

The leases East was offering last summer did have a water testing addendum, but it was not specific about what they would be testing for.  It's a no-brainer that a number of private water wells in TC would test positive for bacterial contamination.  Perc tests are required now for private septic systems, but there are pre-existing conventional systems.  And even adequate conventional (and sand mound) systems can fail over the years.   Also, wells on/near farmland may be contaminated with nitrates and, if corn has been grown, Atrazine.

The Marcellus Shale Coalition is correct when they publish that:
"Study says millions of PA residents relying on private water wells that may contain contaminants – none of which are related to the Marcellus Shale."
"About that Water in Your Well"
http://marcelluscoalition.org/2010/07/about-that-water-in-your-well/

So, it's important to landowners that water supply testing not be just the routine panel, but that it include elements/compounds that are associated with gas drilling.  And, that it be quantitative rather than qualitative (yes/no).  Probably water wells near Tioga Junction always did have small quantities of methane.  But, after the levels became a safety problem, testing by the USGS and PADEP found the fingerprint of gas from a nearby depleted gas well gas storage field.  And, the PADEP has attributed migrating methane in Dimock to faulty casing of some Cabot wells. 

Another possible source of groundwater contamination - and imo the most likely - is surface spills of flowback fluid.   Its signature is elevated levels of barium and salinity.  After the EOG well blowout in Clearfield County, testing found contamination of a water spring.  (I'm puzzled why this wasn't "counted" as a verified instance of groundwater contamination.) 

Lots of info here (See Tier 1 tests):
"Gas Well Drilling and Your Private Water Supply"
http://extension.psu.edu/water/resources/publications/water-polluta...

Permalink Reply by Sam Douglass on January 26, 2011 at 5:13pm

Contamination from spills has occurred occasionally and is a risk to be evaluated.  The incidence is not believed to be high.  Recent additional drilling requirements have presumably tightened up requirements for drilling and casing through the shallower water strata making damage from sloppy drilling even less likely.  My recollection is that DEP initially proposed that the driller expend about $650,000 per house to bring in a public water supply, but settled for a less costly [but still expensive] arrangement - enough for Cabot to notice.

 

Notwithstanding any requirement for testing by Lessee-producer, I would want to have testing done by a qualified independent testing outfit at my expense.  

 

It is important to both Lessee-producer and Lessor-landowner that careful advance testing be done for protection of each.  Lessee should be willing to furnish Lessor with copies of the results of such testing.  For regs see:  

http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/025/chapter78/s78.52.html

§ 78.52. Predrilling or prealteration survey.

 (a)  A well operator who wishes to preserve its defense under section 208(d)(1) of the act (58 P. S. §  601.208(d)(1))that the pollution of a water supply existed prior to the drilling or alteration of the well shall cause a predrilling or prealteration survey to be conducted in accordance with this section.

 (b)  A person who wishes to document the quality of a water supply to support a future claim that the drilling or alteration of the well affected the water supply by pollution may conduct a predrilling or prealteration survey in accordance with this section.

 (c)  The survey shall be conducted by an independent certified laboratory. A person independent of the well owner or well operator, other than an employee of the certified laboratory, may collect the sample and document the condition of the water supply, if the certified laboratory affirms that the sampling and documentation is performed in accordance with the laboratory’s approved sample collection, preservation and handling procedure and chain of custody.

 (d)  An operator electing to preserve its defenses under section 208(d)(1) of the act shall provide a copy of the results of the survey to the Department and the landowner or water purveyor within 10-calendar days of being notified by the Department to submit a copy of the results.

 (e)  The report describing the results of the survey must contain the following information:

   (1)  The location of the water supply and the name of the surface landowner or water purveyor.

   (2)  The date of the survey, and the name of the certified laboratory and the person who conducted the survey.

   (3)  A description of where and how the sample was collected.

   (4)  A description of the type and age, if known, of the water supply, and treatment, if any.

   (5)  The name of the well operator, name and number of well to be drilled and permit number if known.

   (6)  The results of the laboratory analysis.

 (f)  A well operator who wishes to preserve the defense under section 208(d)(2) of the act that the landowner or water purveyor refused the operator access to conduct a survey shall confirm the desire to conduct this survey and that access was refused by issuing notice to the person by certified mail, or otherwise document that access was refused. The notice must include the following:

   (1)  The operator’s intention to drill or alter a well.

   (2)  The desire to conduct a predrilling or prealteration survey.

   (3)  The name of the person who requested and was refused access to conduct the survey and the date of the request and refusal.

   (4)  The name and address of the well operator and the address of the Department, to which the water purveyor or landowner may respond.

Source

   The provisions of this §  78.52 adopted July 28, 1989, effective July 29, 1989, 19 Pa.B. 3229; amended March 6, 1998, effective March 7, 1998, 28 Pa.B. 1234; amended January 27, 2006, effective January 28, 2006, 36 Pa.B. 465. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (276305) to (276306).

Cross References

   This section cited in 25 Pa. Code §  78.141 (relating to scope). 

Permalink Reply by Ann Ticopa on January 27, 2011 at 3:42am

Section 208 is referenced in the Penn State Cooperative Extension publication I posted the url for at the end of my previous comment.  The portion you posted gives some requirements for the testing proceedure ... if it's done  But again, I don't see where it is "required by law" that the operator do the pre-drilling testing. 

 

There is an online list of "PA-DEP Accredited Laboratories"

http://extension.psu.edu/water/resources/publications/water-polluta...

But, I don't understand their classifications and it's not necessarily current.  So, I'd go with Bill L's suggestion and check with the County Cooperative Extension Agent.

 

The Cabot situation is methane migration, not a spill.  And the water line extension would have potentially served more property owners than those already impacted.

 

Ten days ago there was a blowout of a Talisman well on DCNR land in Tioga County.  Fortunately this time a control crew didn't have to come from Texas and the well was relatively quickly controlled.   According to one news report, the drilling pad had a plastic liner.  Afaik that's not routinely done; perhaps a DCNR requirement? 

 

 

Permalink Reply by Sam Douglass on February 1, 2011 at 3:49pm

The test is not required of the driller BUT the driller loses an important defense in case of a law suit.  I think you will find the drillers wanting to perform the test.

Permalink Reply by Ann Ticopa on February 1, 2011 at 9:37pm

Agreed that most probably will.  My point was that well owners shouldn't skip having their water wells tested pre-drilling on an incorrect assumption that drillers are required to.

Permalink Reply by Brian Oram, PG on January 27, 2011 at 5:36pm

I would like to suggest reviewing the Wilkes University Website - We are working on two major programs.

1. Citizen Groundwater Database - Submit your baseline data and we wil...

2. Free Manual for Private Well Owners

3. Baseline testing recommendations for NEPA.

4. Request Assistance - Could be Free Assistance, but all questions answered.

 

5. Insights into Baseline Testing - See PDF File Titled -  The Marcellus Shale Factor - Private Wells, Baseline Testing Prelim... 

 

Thanks

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Brian Oram, PG

Wilkes University